The Falls show experience beyond their years as a recording duo with their debut single “Home.”
Not that the pair are newbies. They’ve honed their craft for years on the Sydney pub circuit, and that easily transfers itself to this single and others from their debut EP Hollywood, which hits stores on August 3. They are also former lovebirds. While their romance fizzled, their natural affinity for one another has endured through their music.
“Home” has such a gorgeous organic quality to it. You can hear the truth behind the lyrics as Simon Rudston-Brown and Melinda Kirwin’s vocals come together. The song feels warm, but if you listen to the words you realise it delves deeply into life’s struggles. That can be pretty dark stuff, but the song’s bittersweet and beautiful.
Do you love it just as much as I do?
Image used with permission from Two Fish Out of Water
With their new single “Flaws” enjoying plenty of radio love, Hunting Grounds figure the time is right to take their life show to the people. The Victorian indie rock act will play a string of gigs this August for what will be their first headline tour in more than two years.
The tour will celebrate the release of the single and Hunting Grounds’ new album In Hindsight, which hits stores on July 6. The album is already generating some major buzz. If you believe Hunting Grounds’ Facebook page (and you probably shouldn’t), even Oprah Winfrey’s a fan!
If you are too you can see Hunting Grounds at the following venues in August.
3 August 2012 – Elsewhere Bar, Gold Coast
4 August 2012 – X and Y Bar, Brisbane
5 August 2012 – The Hotel Great Northern, Byron Bay (Free)
8 August 2012 – Plantation, Coffs Harbour (Free)
9 August 2012 – Yours and Owls, Wollongong
10 August 2012 – Good God Small Club, Sydney
11 August 2012 – Transit Bar, Canberra
16 August 2012 – Prince of Wales Hotel, Bunbury (Free)
17 August 2012 – Amplifier, Perth
18 August 2012 – Rocket Bar, Adelaide
24 August 2012 – Karova Lounge, Ballarat
25 August 2012 – The Toff in Town, Melbourne
Dubmarine have served up a really special music video to accompany their new single “Point the Bone.” The Brisbane dance act’s new clip features some clever stop-motion animation and an epic battle between robot and octopus!
I’ve got no idea what the imagery has to do with the song, but it matters not. It calls to mind those old Japanese monster movies, but it’s got much more colour. It also took animator Debbie Steer some 200 hours to put together, so I think it serves to attract a few eyeballs.
And before you tell me it’s not an octopus because it has just five legs, I know. The artistic decision is actually a nod to the work of Ray Harryhausen, who created a six-tentacled octopus for the 50s movie It Came From Beneath the Sea, just to save time!
“Point the Bone” is the second track lifted from Dubmarine’s debut album Depth of Sound. They’re currently in the studio working on its follow-up, so watch this space for details on that!
The Autumn Isles have released a suitably psychedelic music video for the song “Mystery to Hide.” All those bright colors and retro visual effects really add to the song’s relaxed hippie style.
If you like what you hear and see, make sure you check out The Autumn Isles’ website. The band is currently offering the single as a free mp3 or wav file.
“Blind” has long been one of the highlights of the band’s set, so I’m thrilled to see it’ll hit a wider audience. I love the way the track builds to a dramatic crescendo. That’s helped in no small part by the appearance of Band of Horses’ Bill Reynolds on the recording.
“It’s once in a blue moon that I come across a group with such great harmonies and great songs,” he explained. “When my manager sent me the demos for the LP I knew I had to find a way to work with them.”
Georgia Fair will launch “Blind” with a hometown show on July 6 at The Standard before playing Melbourne’s Toff in Town on July 12.
The Peep Tempel have gotten underneath my skin with their gritty new single “Mister Lester Moore.”
This is a really big song, frenetic, wailing, and delightfully dark. It’s a bit more chaotic than the tracks I usually go for, but there’s just something about it that’s charmed me in spite of myself.
It seems a back injury isn’t the only thing Shannon Noll’s nursing. It sounds like he’s caught the touring bug! Shannon hasn’t even wrapped up the shows to support his last single, but he’s just announced dates to support the the album A Million Suns. And there’s not even a week to rest in between!
Shannon’s promising to be match fit after that Dancing with the Stars injury. And he’d better be, because travelling to New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Tassie sounds pretty daunting!
He’s getting fans in the mood with the live music video for his latest single “Living in Stereo.” If it’s got you fired up making sure you take in one of the following shows:
6 July 2012 – Revesby Heights Ex-Serviceman’s Club, Revesby
7 July 2012 – Rooty Hill RSL, Rooty Hill
13 July 2012 – Country Club Showroom, Launceston
14 July 2012 – Wrest Point Entertainment Centre, Hobart
20 July 2012 – Mounties, Mt Prichard
21 July 2012 – Canberra Southern Cross Club Events Centre, Canberra
27 July 2012 – Castle Hill RSL, Castle Hill
28 July 2012 – Wentworthville Leagues Club, Wentworthville
3 August 2012 – Dapto Leagues, Dapto
4 August 2012 – The Cube at Campbelltown Catholic Club, Campbelltown
10 August 2012 – Mingara Recreation Club, Tumbi Umbi
11 August 2012 – Penrith Panthers, Penrith
17 August 2012 – Marlin Hotel, Ulladulla
18 August 2012 – Belmont 16FT Sailing Club, Belmont
23 August 2012 – Gympie Music Muster
25 August 2012 – Outback Quarry, Alice Springs (with band Squid Munchies)
31 August 2012 – Wagga Wagga Civic Centre, Wagga Wagga
1 September 2012 – Annual Moama On Murray Resort Concert, Moama
6 September 2012 – Nautilus Theatre, Port Lincoln
7 September 2012 – Middleback Theatre, Whyalla
8 September 2012 – The Governor Hindmarsh, Adelaide
9 September 2012 – Sir Robert Helpman Theatre, Mt Gambier
21 September 2012 – Taren Point Hotel, Taren Point
25 September 2012 – BHP Esso Wellington Centre, Sale
26 September 2012 – Capital Theatre, Bendigo
27 September 2012 – Wangaratta PAC, Wangaratta
5 October 2012 – Dubbo RSL, Dubbo
6 October 2012 – Bathurst Panthers, Bathurst
7 October 2012 – Club Mudgee, Mudgee
11 October 2012 – West Gippsland Arts Centre, Warragul
12 October 2012 – Ballarat Regent Multiplex, Ballarat
13 October 2012 – Eastbank Centre, Shepparton
14 October 2012 – Lighthouse Theatre, Warrnambool
18 October 2012 – Keith Michell Theatre, Port Pirie
19 October 2012 – Chaffey Theatre, Renmark
26 October 2012 – Goulburn Soldiers Club, Goulburn
27 October 2012 – Albury Entertainment Centre, Albury
28 October 2012 – Australian Children’s Music Foundation fundraising event @ Hillston Showgrounds, Hillston (Free – acoustic set)
1 November 2012 – Port Macquarie Panthers, Port Macquarie
2 November 2012 – Yamba Bowling Club, Yamba
3 November 2012 – Sawtell RSL, Sawtell
Sometimes the simple things in life are often the best. Brisbane band Holland proves that old chestnut with their new single “No Control.”
Jarryd Klapper’s voice is hypnotically beautiful, and he’s ably supported by lead guitarist Shane Graham, bassist James Taylor, and Javed Sterritt. The song gives us a taste of Holland’s forthcoming album, which they recorded in Atlanta with acclaimed producer Nick DiDia (Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, Powderfinger).
If you like what you hear make sure you see Holland as they tour the single around the country in the coming months. I’m pretty sure this band won’t be playing such small venues for too long!
16 June 2012 – The Loft, Gold Coast
17 June 2012 – Hoey Moey Beergarden, Coffs Harbour
6 July 2012 – Upstairs @ Beresford, Darlinghurst
7 July 2012 – Old Manly Boatshed, Manly
8 July 2012 – Brass Monkey, Cronulla
20 July 2012 – Beach Hotel, Byron Bay
21 July 2012 – The Loft, Gold Coast
22 July 2012 – Blackbear Lodge, Brisbane
3 August 2012 – FBi Social Club, Sydney
4 August 2012 – Old Manly Boatshed, Manly
5 August 2012 – Brass Monkey, Cronulla
Sydney indie popsters Circle have chased away my winter blues with their cheerful retro single “Fashion Me a Drum.”
The song recalls The Pet Shop Boys with its wave of synths and deceptive simplicity. The track gives us a taste of Circle’s highly anticipated new album The Middle. While the band has released plenty of discs before, this one is the first recorded in a real studio rather than a bedroom!
Enjoy this slice of perfect pop before The Middle drops on August 1.
Australian audiences will be treated to a special edition of Josh Ritter’s new album So Runs the World Away to coincide with his upcoming East Coast tour.
So Runs the World Away will be packaged with his new six-track EP Bringing in the Darlings for the tour edition, which hits stores on June 15. The EP features Josh’s dreamy new single “Love is Making Its Way Back Home.” I just love the music video, which was painstakingly created using more than 12, 000 individual pieces of paper. There are no special effects at work here people; just old fashioned animated genius!
The Idaho native is the son of two neuroscientists, but he decided an academic career wasn’t for him when he discovered the music of Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan. And so he forged his own career in the arts and became a celebrated musician and novelist.
He first toured Australia as Martha Wainwright’s support act in 2005. He gained a legion of fans on that journey, and many of them will no doubt return to see Josh play with fellow author-come-musician Simone Felice next month.
Tickets are on sale now through Love Police for the following shows.
5 July 2012 – The Old Museum, Brisbane
6 July 2012 – Notes, Sydney
8 July 2012 – The Basement, Sydney
11 July 2012 – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
“Home” has such a gorgeous organic quality to it. You can hear the truth behind the lyrics as Simon Rudston-Brown and Melinda Kirwin’s vocals come together. The song feels warm, but if you listen to the words you realise it delves deeply into life’s struggles. That can be pretty dark stuff, but the song’s bittersweet and beautiful.